| caesura | n.; pl. E. caesuras L. Cæsuræ /plu> [ L. caesura a cutting off, a division, stop, fr. caedere, caesum, to cut off. See Concise. ] A metrical break in a verse, occurring in the middle of a foot and commonly near the middle of the verse; a sense pause in the middle of a foot. Also, a long syllable on which the cæsural accent rests, or which is used as a foot. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ In the following line the cæsura is between study and of. [ 1913 Webster ] The prop | er stud | y ‖ of | mankind | is man. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. a pause or interruption (as in a conversation); as, after an ominous caesura the preacher continued. [ WordNet 1.5 ] |
